Representation/Abstraction in Korean Art

November 23, 2010–March 20, 2011

This special installation brings together objects and paintings from different periods of Korean art history, whose pairings and juxtapositions highlight the beauty, power, and emotional resonance of both representation and abstraction. Some works offer recognizable portrayals of a given subject filtered through artistic interpretation. Others, because of their distilled form, color, or design, might be characterized as abstractions. Still others are eloquently expressionist renderings that are open to layered translations. Many of the works on view might straddle the two opposing yet overlapping categories.

Featuring two works by the New York-based contemporary artist Il Lee—including a new, large-scale, acrylic and oil on canvas—which are on loan to the Museum, this installation presents an opportunity to view and appreciate the Museum's permanent collection with a fresh perspective. It highlights the many intriguing ways Korean artists through history have explored—and articulated—representation and abstraction.